A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". (Soul, Vocalists) LP, Vinyl record album

A very unusual session for Carmen McRae – a live recording that features only her vocals and piano, on spare readings of a number of sophisticated songs that ably demonstrate the class and care she was bringing to her work at the time! The approach is quite different from some of the smoother, more soul-based records that McRae was cutting in the 70s – a very laidback, late nite sort of date that takes us right back to Carmen's earliest years on record – but with a 60s' worth of hipness thrown into the mix. She's still got some sense of poise on the tunes, but also brings up a slightly earthy undercurrent at points too – a relaxed, mature vibe that really fits the intimacy of the record. Titles include "The Last Time For Love", "More Than You Know", "I Can't Escape From You", "I Could Have Told You", "Please Be Kind", and "Supper Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Sarah Vaughn hit a very groovy new style on her handful of records for the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a new approach that offered her amazing voice a way to stretch out with some of the new sophistication of the time! The arrangements are still jazz, but they've taken a direction that other younger singers, like Nancy Wilson, were following as the decade began – maybe more adult themes in the lyrics, and a way of balancing out the larger charts without ever getting in the way of the singer – which is especially important here, in the way that the album demonstrates that phrasing that not only made Sarah so unique at the start, but which got even more amazing as the years moved on. The arrangers are a hip lot who are definitely up to the job – and include Michel Legrand, Peter Matz, and Jack Elliott – on titles that include "Run To Me", "And The Feeling's Good", "Just A Little Lovin", "Deep In The Night", "When You Think Of It", and a nice take on "Easy Evil". LP, Vinyl record album

Totally wonderful live work from Sarah Vaughan – a Berlin performance that takes off strongly from the grooviest styles of her mid 60s work on Mercury – but with an approach that's maybe even more unfettered overall, given the live setting of the material! Sarah's voice is incredible – working with an amazing demonstration of that famous range that made her such a key force in transforming jazz vocals during the postwar years – always swinging, but with all these inflections that really show just how much she'd developed her voice as an instrument during the 60s. Backing is from an unusual trio – Johnny Veith on piano, Gus Mancuso on bass, and Eddy Pucci on drums – players who really fit the groovy nature of the material – titles that include "On A Clear Day", "Passing Strangers", "I Cried For You", "A Lot Of Livin To Do", "And I Love Him", "Fly Me To The Moon", "The Sweetest Sounds", "What Now My Love", "Time After Time", and "I Had A Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

With Tony Mottola on guitar and Bob Haggart on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little Verve session that breaks from the usual format – especially the "Songbooks" one – and features Ella in LA with small group backing by Jim Hall, Lou Levy, Wilfred Middlebrooks, and Gus Johnson. The set was recorded live at the Crescendo – in a jazzily swinging mode that's a bit looser than some of Ella's other Verve sessions, but which still demonstrates some nice control on the vocals. Titles include "Mr Paganini", "Stairway To The Stars", "Air Mail Special", "Blue Moon", "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", and "Just In Time". LP, Vinyl record album

Features some great piano backings from Ralph Sharon! LP, Vinyl record album

Not really a recital in the "live" sense, in that the album's a studio session – but a great batch of classic Verve sides by Billie Holiday! The care and quality of the record definitely demonstrate that the Verve years are some of Holiday's best – and for the session, Norman Granz has backed up Billie with a great batch of musicians – including Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Flip Philips on tenor, Barney Kessel on guitar, and Oscar Peterson on piano. Tracks include "Remember", "Yesterdays", "He's Funny That Way", "Stormy Weather", "My Man", and "Lover Come Back To Me" – and the cover has a portrait of Billie by David Stone Martin! LP, Vinyl record album

If you ever needed a record to convince you that Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross are amazing – this is it! The set has a straightforward approach that's wonderful – as the group both turn in these new lyrics to famous jazz solos on key cuts – then take some things a bit straighter in others – but all with vocal interplay that's as amazing as some of the best hardbop horn work of the time. Annie Ross reprises her famous "Farmer's Market" solo, plus the group swings wildly on versions of "Mr. P.C.", and Horace Silver's "Home Cookin'" and "Come On Home". John Hendricks' voice is at his prime, and the whole thing grooves madly – thanks to instrumentation from the Ike Isaacs Trio, with Gildo Mahones on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of compelling albums cut by singer Big Miller – an artist often billed as a blues singer, but who's more of a jazz artist overall – as you'll hear here in a very cool set that features Ben Webster and Plas Johnson on tenor, Gildon Maholes on piano, and Jim Hall on guitar! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums that singer Annie Ross cut on her own away from the Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross group while she was still living in the US – and a great little set recorded with a group led by Gerry Mulligan! The sound is west coast cool all the way through – with players who include Chet Baker, Art Farmer, Dave Bailey, and Henry Grimes – and although Annie's in the lead on most of the set, but Gerry slides in some lean solos which open up the tracks nicely! Ross is a bit less in a vocalese mode than with LHR, in ways that really demonstrate her skills with ballads and gentler cuts – and given the support from Mulligan and crew, the album's got a very solid jazz foundation overall. Titles include "All Of You", "Give Me The Simple Life", "This Is Always", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "I Feel Pretty". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic Roulette Records material from Sarah Vaughan – and exactly the kind of set that demonstrates the new level of maturity she hit at the label! The cover and title might make you expect a Wee Small Hours sort of record, but the approach is more varied, and really shows off all of Sarah's strengths – thanks to arrangements by Benny Carter that are full of subtle, but powerful shades and tones – which Vaughan then takes over, and really uses to push with her voice – perfect on both the powerful ballads and the more upbeat material. Titles include "Lonely Hours", "Solitude", "So Long My Love", "What'll I Do", and "Always On My Mind" – all with a wonderfully mature, slightly boozy sound. LP, Vinyl record album